Dragons’ season in tatters after ‘embarrassing’ Bulldogs loss

They started the season looking like top eight bolters but the Dragons have now hit rock bottom by losing to cellar-dwellers Canterbury.

The Dragons’ season has hit a new low. (Photo by Mark Kolbe/Getty Images)

The lower the opposition, the worse St George Illawarra plays.

The listless Dragons succumbed to a team outside the top eight for the sixth time this year, going down 28-6 to bottom-placed Canterbury at Stadium Australia on Monday.

It’s the Bulldogs’ first win in seven weeks and only their second of the season.

With legendary ex-All Blacks coach Steve Hansen watching on in his role as the club’s high-performance consultant, the Bulldogs were upbeat, physical and near perfect with and without the ball – everything the Red V weren’t.

The Dragons’ performance was punctured by knock-ons, forwards passes, passes over the sideline, conceded six agains, missed tackles and kicks over the dead-ball line.

They managed to concede a try while the Dogs were down to 12 men, skipper Josh Jackson sin-binned for repeated team infringements.

Even mild-mannered Dragons coach Anthony Griffin lost his rag as he witnessed some of the rubbish dished up.

This is genuinely embarrassing from @NRL_Dragons. If Norman & Dufty have been told they're surplus to requirements, give the young fellas time in the jerseys. At least they'll be learning

Truly embarrassing effort from #RedV#NRLBulldogsDragons

— Isaac McIntyre (@isaac_mcintyre6) June 14, 2021

Great win by Bulldog. Plenty of spirit. Played physical. Played smart. Great game plan. Stuck to it. Tormented Dragon defence all game. Gained in confidence further the game continued. Dragon? Probably direct opposite of all that. They are much better than what they showed today

— Phil Gould (@PhilGould15) June 14, 2021

That was one AWFUL half from the Dragons.
Well played Bulldogs - far more enthusiastic. pic.twitter.com/2nGDGmvdRH

— The Mole (@9_Moley) June 14, 2021

At one stage, the St George Illawarra ballboys couldn’t find a Steeden to resume the game, but perhaps it was a plot to avoid more misery.

Incredibly, the Dragons boast a much better record against teams inside the eight (3-2) than those on the outside looking in (3-6).

This latest loss could have major ramifications for St George Illawarra’s top eight hopes when it comes down to the business end of the season.

Take nothing away from Canterbury. The Dogs were great for a team supposedly low on confidence and form.

They held a deserved 8-6 halftime lead and went bang, bang after the break, scoring two tries with ridiculous ease to stretch out to a 20-6 advantage after 52 minutes.

Halfback Jake Averillo helped himself to two tries, while hooker Jeremy Mashall-King scored one of the easiest dummy half tries you are ever likely to see.

Adam Elliott’s try 11 minutes from time – in which he pulled away from three defenders – killed the game dead.

“I’m very disappointed. It just wasn’t good enough,” St. George Illawarra coach Anthony Griffin said.

“They were just harder at the ball the whole night. There is no excuse for what happened.

“They’ve been building for a win and we helped them.”

The Bulldogs had the upper hand for the majority of the contest. (Photo by Mark Kolbe/Getty Images)

Good Dogs

The Stadium Australia ground announcer listed Canterbury’s premiership wins as the Bulldogs ran out for the start of the game.

It was a painful reminder of what a great club it has been and how long it’s been between drinks – 17 years and counting.

But while the blue and whites don’t have the talent of other clubs, you can rarely question their heart.

They are determined to steer clear of the wooden spoon and, on this showing, that is still a viable proposition.

“There’s been a big change in attitude defensively and they carried that through,” delighted coach Trent Barrett said.

“It’s been a tough, difficult three months but we’ve got the opportunity to get better each week.

“Things are slowly starting to improve. What we’re going through at the moment will make us better down the track.”

Marshall-King, Averillo, Jack Hetherington and Luke Thompson really stood up to be counted as the Dogs produced their best all-round game in a year.

Sign of the times

There was a lone ‘Keep Dufty’ sign draped over a railing in one corner of Stadium Australia, but its owners might think twice about bringing it next week.

Matt Dufty’s defensive frailties – one of the big reasons he’s on his way out of the club – were on show early in the second half.

He bought a big goal-line dummy from Marshall-King, exposing teammate Daniel Alvaro in the defensive line and allowing the No. 9 to coast over under the posts.

The softness of the try underlined just how bad the Dragons were – and how they again failed to aim up in a game they were expected to win.

Originally published as Dragons’ season in tatters after ‘embarrassing’ Bulldogs loss